Traditional modes of communication have evolved in recent years with the rapid growth of Internet-based technologies and increasing consumer demands for convenient communication tools. Mobile communication systems have become particularly popular as consumers increasingly require the ability to conduct communications while in transit or temporarily relocated. For example, call connections are frequently established using mobile cellular telephones, in-flight telephones, two-way pagers and a plurality of other communication devices. Such tools provide the ability to place or arrange communication sessions from almost anywhere.
Telephone communication is still generally considered the most effective mode of communicating because it permits parties to conduct two-way high quality voice communication in real time. Unfortunately, however, this efficiency comes at an expense, particularly when mobile telephone devices are employed. Mobile telephone devices are supported by mobile telephone service providers that provide the service in predefined areas. Conventionally, users of mobile telephone service purchase flat fee packages from the service provider which specify certain limitations and fees associated with the user's activity. As is well known, most mobile telephone packages allocate a predetermined number of “free” minutes of local airtime for both incoming and outgoing local calls. Any airtime used beyond this allocation is then added to the user's invoice. Likewise, long distance charges apply to all long distance calls conducted with the mobile telephone device.
Regardless of the mobile telephone package, airtime on mobile telephone devices is charged at a premium. In particular, the costs associated with a mobile telephone device can quickly accumulate as a user is charged for airtime used for both incoming and outgoing calls. Thus, additional charges are applied not only for long distance calls using the mobile telephone device but also when a user exceeds the allocated number of airtime minutes provided by the package. It can therefore become difficult to control the expenses that accumulate with mobile telephone use. In addition, the industry is poised for the advent of new mobile 3rd generation devices, such as wide band devices capable of video communications, and the like. As these wide band devices become more prevalent, it will be more important than ever to optimize their use because per minute costs will increase as bandwidth utilization increases with such devices.
Likewise, telephone calls made from so-called “convenience” telephones, such as those found in airplanes, trains, taxis, hotels and phone booths are generally more expensive to use than other wireline phone terminations. Hereinafter, such telephones are collectively referred to as convenience telephones.
In recent years, several systems have been invented for using the Internet to establish telephone connections. These systems use Worldwide Web (WWW) technology to permit the setup of PSTN calls. For example, Applicant's copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/642,671 filed Aug. 22, 2000 describes a system and method for establishing long distance calls using a desktop application. As described in that patent application, a desktop application is adapted to initiate a call connection at a long distance service provider (LDSP) server via a data packet network such as the Internet. A customer uses the application to specify origination and destination information pertaining to a call request. This information is sent to the LDSP via the data packet network. The LDSP processes the call request and effects call initiation at a switch within the PSTN. In particular, the LDSP verifies the call connection request and effects respective call connections to the origination- and destination numbers at a PSTN switch. The calls are subsequently bridged together to complete the call connection. The system also provides a user with a variety of call management features.
Providers of such long distance services are typically able to offer discount long distance rates to users because they are not obliged to maintain a great deal of infrastructure in order to offer the service. Such systems have proven to be very useful to large businesses where numerous long distance calls are made each day. By employing the Applicant's system, a cost savings can be realized, as compared to paying conventional long distance rates for long distance telephone service.
However, to date, access to this service has been restricted to a location where a user has both telephone and Internet access. Establishing long distance call connections using the Internet has not been practical for convenience telephones that incur long distance fees. In particular, convenience telephones are not generally located in the vicinity of a computer having access to the Internet. Most often a user of Applicant's systems for initiating telephone calls uses a conventional wireline telephone for the purpose of establishing a long distance call.
As technology continues to be driven by consumer demand for convenience, rapid growth is occurring in the market for smaller, more mobile and user-friendly communication devices. One such device is the personal digital assistant (PDA) which offers consumers the convenience of a personal computer in a hand-held portable device. PDAs offer the ability to attend to personal and business computing, Internet access and communication services while in transit, from almost any location. Certain PDAs are also equipped with wireless capability which permits wireless, mobile access to the Internet. Likewise, personal communication services (PCS) phones equipped with wireless application protocol (WAP) now have the ability to access the WWW.
These smaller, portable personal computing devices are poised to be the personal computing devices of choice in the near future. Thus, there is an increasing demand for cost-effective services accessible to such devices. In particular, with the frequency of international travel both for personal and business purposes, there is demand for a cost effective means of conducting long distance voice communications using mobile and convenience telephones.
There therefore exists a need for a system adapted to be used with portable computing devices that can harness the power of a packet network, such as the Internet, to establish long distance telephone calls in an efficient, convenient and cost effective manner.